Indigenous rangers could gain university qualifications without ever leaving their communities under a new education model being developed by James Cook University.
The program, supported by the use of artificial intelligence, will recognise the skills, cultural knowledge and workplace experience rangers have already gained through their daily work.
It will be trialled with the Yolngu Rangers at Dhimurru in northeast Arnhem Land, one of Australia's longest-running Indigenous ranger groups.
JCU Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Indigenous Education and Strategy Professor Martin Nakata said the current education system often failed to recognise the knowledge and abilities Indigenous workers already possessed.
"We are trying to build an education and credentialling system that can include knowledge, experience and competencies rangers already have, but are not easily identified through the current conventions in education," Professor Nakata said.
The proposed model is known as Learning Integrated Work.
Instead of following a standard classroom-based course, the work rangers complete each day would help shape their learning and assessment.
"We call it 'Learning Integrated Work' - there's no formal curriculum and what they do every day in their jobs becomes the basis for the curriculum ... it's pretty radical compared to current approaches to education," Professor Nakata said.
"This model means rangers don't have to leave their families (and) they don't have to leave their jobs. They can learn while they continue to earn money to support their families."
The model would combine the use of AI with traditional languages, cultural knowledge and national education standards to create personalised learning programs.
Professor Nakata said many Indigenous rangers were already using advanced technology as part of their environmental work.
"Rangers are programming flight paths in traditional language and with the wisdom of Elders," he said.
"Our challenge will be how to capture and measure that value in our degree programs, and aligning this with Tertiary Education Quality Standards."
Professor Nakata said the program could help strengthen education and employment pathways across northern Australia, where major investment is expected in areas including environmental protection, biosecurity and critical minerals.
"Take the example of Indigenous rangers ... they are already effectively managing the environment, but we need to expand and build on their existing capabilities," he said.
He believes new approaches are needed to address the low number of Indigenous students progressing to university.
"Here in Far North Queensland, we have more than twelve thousand Indigenous school students, but we're lucky to get 33 progressing to university.
"We've spent decades looking at how to improve the education system ... it's like concrete, you can't move it by continuing to do the same thing."
JCU Vice Chancellor Professor Simon Biggs said the model could provide more flexible and relevant education for people living in remote and regional communities.
"The work being led by Professor Nakata is an important example of how JCU can deliver more personalised and responsive education," Professor Biggs said.
